Officials say Silver fire could be fully contained Monday

A wildfire that’s burned about 30 square miles in Riverside County is expected to be fully contained Monday, officials said.

The Silver fire, which has destroyed 26 homes, injured 11 firefighters and scorched through 20,292 acres in the San Jacinto Mountains is 90% contained, officials said. The blaze began on Wednesday.

One person suffered serious burn injuries in the fire, the cause of which remains under investigation.

Assuming there are no dramatic changes in weather conditions, fire officials expect to have the blaze fully contained -- meaning a break line around the entire fire -- by Monday, said Battalion Chief Julie Hutchinson, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

For many residents of the area, Sunday morning offered the first opportunity to return to their homes -- or in some cases the plot of charred land where their homes once stood -- since being forced to evacuate.

"It's been a real tough day for a lot of people," Hutchinson said.

Meanwhile, the Sharp fire in the Angeles National Forest had burned through 163 acres as of Monday morning, said Ryan Carey, a forest spokesman.

That fire, which has claimed no homes, is about 75% contained, with full containment expected by Tuesday, Carey said.